Front drive for motor-driven vehicles.



IVLKIIVIBLE.

FRONT DRIVF;` FOR MOTOR DRVEN VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. 1917- Patented Jan. 15, Q 3 SHEETSvSHEET l M. KHVIBLE. FRONT Dmvfi FOR' MOTOR' nmvEN VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6,1m]- y Patented Jaula, 1918.

3 SHETs-SHEET 2.

M. KHVIBLE. FRONT DRIVE FOR MOTOR DRIVEN v'EHrcLEs.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6.1917- Patented Jan. 15, '1918.

3,l SHEETS-SHEET 3.

jill; .lt T lli lill Specification of Letters atent.

lln'tenteail Jann. 115, MMS.

T all 107mm i1? may concern.'

lle it knownI that l, lllinrir; Kinnnr., :i citizen ol the United States, und n resident of llajy'ne, in ille county eil Passaic und State of New Jersey, have invented n new and improved liront Drive for Motor- Driven Vehicles, of which the following is n liull, clear, and exnet description.

The invention relates; to automobiles. nulotrucks and similar motor driven rehieleri.y and itey objeet is to provide n ne'w und iniproved front drive for motor driven vehicles entro-ti [ly to trunsniil' the power of the motor jo the front or steering wheels.

ln rder lo neeolnplish lhe desired remit, usev runde of n yoke. linkel connectingthe ende` et' the yoke with angular nrr'ns on the sinh axles piroted on the liront axle. und o. driving geur mounted partly on the seid.

" angular urine :and eonneeted with the seid liqmpp p .pp 1. ,.L iront wdr. s o uint .ne .i rei, .nnl a. moto.

driven geur connected nt the yoke with the seid driving' geez'.

It praetieel einlnidinlent ol the invention represented in the :iceonipnnying dre-ww ings forming n part nl" this specification. in which similar eheriwlerfs of reference indi ente ei'irrenp-oi'iding pnrls in all the views.

Figure l is o. plan view of the front drive 'lier motor driven veh'mlef:1 parte being shown in see-tion;

2 is r, Similar view of the sume with the parte 'in position 'for driving :ind steering; the vehicle to one sido;

lig.` o is en enlarged eeetionzil Side elevetion olf the saine on the limv l--l of Fig. l;

i is nn enlarged sY-ziznilnr .view of the sein-e on the line of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is o cross section of the seine on the Y,The front erde lll et" the rnotor driven. ve-

hielo is provit'led nt endl` with pivoted enh arles il. on whi'eli jonrnaled the front er Steering; Wheels l2. 'g he stub axles 'lll provided :with forwardly extending nngrnler i3, e? which one ie Connected ley n. linl( ll with :in arm l5 piojeetine"l r merrily #from e slee-ring; shaft i6 nnkgr the eentrol the driver for Steering' the iehiele either in si. straight path or to one side, es

more 'fully explained.

The iront or Steering wheels l2 ere dri-mn from the shaft Q0 ot n motor {not shownl mounted in the usuel manner on the whirl@ and the forward end oit this slim f neeted by universel joint 2l with a sleeve 22 in which is mounted to slide u shsxtt Q3 provided with n pin 2l engaging a slot Q5 formed in the sleeve so that when the motor shaft 2() is rotated und with it the sleeve 22 then n rotary motion is given to the sleeve shaft The forward end ol' the Sleeve. Shaft 23 is pivotnlly connected by n universal joint with n shuft 31 jonrnnled in n bracket 32 und enrryng n lievel gen1' wheel 33 in mee-h with n hevel geur wheel 34C having?y its Shaft 35 journnled in the y brochet lilith the hevel ,fleur wheel il rotates u spherical gear wheel l() nltnehed to or formed on the lonek of the lievel gen r wheel 3l :ind the spherieul renr wheel l0 is in xnesh with the Spherical geur wheel -ll forming? -the mnsler wheel ol n eoinpen'Snting geni-ing l2 for driving); two trnnsverse shells i3 journnled in n. yoke A/l-f-l supported :it its end hy linke from the z ngnlu r :mns 13 ot the slub axles l1. The. middle of the yoke is eonneeted by links 46 with thel hrnelfet il* to Support the lntler from the yoke.

The eonipensnling geur 4Q is provided with lievel freer wheels 50 und disposed diuinetrienlly opposite ezn'h other :1nd journeled on studs 5l ntluehed lo the nmsler wheel 4l, us plainlyY indieuled in Fig. 5. The pinions 50 nre in mesh nt opposie. sides with bevel geur wheels 52 seenred on the adjacent ends 53 of the voke shafts L 5l previously mentioned. ll. is nnderslood ihnt when the inuser gein' wheel 4l is rotuted from the, motor nhull. 20 by the geurin;r above described then its rolnry inotion is triinsrnitled by the pinions 50 to the geur wheels; .'32 which in turn rotule the yoke Shafts 43. @n the outer ends of the volte Shafts lil :ire Secured spherical gear wheels 30 in mesh with siniilnr gear Wheels (S1 lmving lheir Shnfts 62 jonrneled in suitable hein-ings :irrnnged on the :mgnlnr :mns l5 et' the stel) axles il. Un the shalt (S2 nre Secured pinions 63 in mesh Willi internal gesnwheels (lil secured eoneentrienlly lo the Front or steering wheels l2. When the yoke fr?) are rotated :is al'iove deseril'ied then :i rotary motion is transmitted by the pairs of Spherical gear Wheels 60, 61 end 63 and the internal geni' wheel 64 to `the front or sleering wheels l2.

The ends olf the yoke 44 are provided with segmental Igear wheels Y() in imesh wil/l1 segmental gear Wheels 71 formed on the ends of the angular arms 13 of the stub axles. By reference to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be noticed that the axes of the pivots of the links 45 connecting the yoke 44 with the angular arms 13 intersect the axes of the shafts 43 and 62, andl the segmental gear wheels and 71 have their axes coinciding with the axes of the pivots of 'the links 45 so `that the yoke 44 moves parallel to the main axle 10 on the operator imparting a swinging motion to the angular arms 13 on steering the vehicle to one side or the other or back again to a straight path. The yoke 44 is provided at its middle with segmental gear wheels 72 in mesh with segmental gear wheels 73 formed on the bracket 32, the centers of the gear Wheels 72 and 73 coinciding with the axes of the pivots for the links 46 supporting the bracket 3Q from the yoke 44.

The operation is as follows:

When the motor shaft 20 is driven then a rotary motion is transmitted b v the gearing above described to the front or steering wheels 12 to propel the vehicle forward. When the steering shaft 16 is turned the front wheels 12 are swung into an anfrular position, as shown in Fig. 2, and in oing so the angular arms 13 impart a parallel movement to the yoke 44 relative to the axle 10, and as the gear wheels 40, 41. 60, 61 are ot' spherical shape the power of the motor is properly transmitted irrespective of any angular position the gear wheels of the pair of Wheels 40, 41 and 60, G1 assume one relative to the other and without danger of any one of the parts bindinp, so that the transmission of power is rendgered exceedingly etlective.

It will also be noticed that by havingl the compensating gear 42 interposed between the master Wheel 41 and the shafts 43 the outer Wheel 12 can travel faster than the inner Wheel when steering the vehicle to one side from a straight path.

t Will further be noticed that by having the link connectionv between the yoke 44 and the bracket 32 in the manner above described and shown in the drawings, and by allowing the shaft 23 to slide the sleeve 22, the power of the motor shaft 20 to the master Wheel 41 is properly transmitted without danger of binding, and while the lvoke 44 moves parallel with the liront 10 during the traveling ot' the vehicle from a straight path to one side or back again into a straight path.

The front drive shown and described is comparatively simple and durable in construction, and an effective transmission ol the power from the motor to the Jfront wheels takes place, and the operator is enabled to correctly steer the vehicle from a. straight path to one side or the other o" lessees back again to a straight path 'wholly independent of the driving ot the vehicle.

Havingl thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: in

1. In a front drive for motor driven vel1i cles, a front axle provided with pivoted stub axles having angular arms, front Wheels journaled on the said stub axles, a steering mechanism connected with one of the said' angular arms, a yoke, links connectingV the ends of the yoke with the said angular arms., a driving gear mounted partly on the said yoke and partly on the said angular arms and connected with the said front'ivheels te drive the latter, and a motor driven connected at the yoke with the said driving gear.

2. ln a front drive for motor driven veliiH cles, a front axle provided with pivcted stub axles having' .angular arms, front Wheels -iourualed on the said stub axles, a steering mechanism connected with one of the said angular arms, a yoke. links connecting the ends of the yoke with the said angular arms. a drivingn gear mounted partly on the said yoke and partly on the said angular arms and connected with the said front wheels to drive the latter, a motor driven gear connccted at the yoke with the said driving gear, and a support for the said driven gear and connected by links with the said yoke. i

ln a front drive for motor driven vehicles, a front axle provided with pivoted stub axles having angular arms, front Wheels journaled on the said stub. axles, a steering mechanism connected with one of the said angular arms, a yoke, links connecting the ends of the yoke with the said angular arms, yoke gear Wheels fixed on the said yoke, l.gear wheels xed on the angular arms and in mesh with the said yoke gear wheels, a driving; gear mounted partly on the said yoke and partly on the said angular arms and connected with the said front Wheels to drive the latter. and a motor driven nected at the yoke with the said dr 4. ln a front drive for met?" f i cles, a front axle provided with pivotcd axles havingl angular arms, iront mounted on the said stub axles with internal gear wheels. a yoke, necting the said yoke with the san arms, segmental gear wheels connecting said yoke with the said angular arms l journaled in the said yoke and prov their enter ends with lsphfn'ical g pinions .in mesh with ythe said intern wheels provided with splieriV 4 wheels in sh with 'the said splint' gear wheels on tee said shafts, driving means connected with 'the said shafts to rotate the latter, and a steering` mechanism connected with one of the said angular arms.

5.Y ln a front drive for motor driven vehi- Egal Laaaaaa cles, a front axle provided' with pivoted stub axles having angular arms, front wheels mounted on the said stub axles and provided with internal gear wheels, a yoke, links ronnectiiig the Said yoke with the said angular armsi segmental gear wheels connecting the said yoke with the said angular arms, shalts journaled in the said yoke and provided at their outer ends with spherical gear wheels, pinions in mesh with the said internal rear wheels and provided with spherical gear wheels in mesh with the said spherical gear wheels on the said shafts, a compensating gear connected with the said yoke shafts, a motor driven gear in mesh with the said compensating,l gear, a bracket in which the said driven gear is jmirnaled` links4 comwcting` the said bracket with the said yoke, segmental gear Wheels Connecting the said bracket with the said yoke, and a steering mechanism connected with one ot' said angular arms.

6. in a front` drive for motor driven vehicles, a front axle provided with pivoted stub axles having angular arms, vfront wheels mounted on the said stub axles and provided with internal gear wheels, a yoke. linka connecting the said yoke with the said angular arms` segmental gear wheels connecting,r the said yoke with thesaid angular arms. shafts jonrnaled in the said yoke and provided at their outer ends with spherical gear wheels, pinions in mesh with the said internal gear wheels and provided with spherical gear wheels in mesh with the said spherical gear wheels on the said shafts, a compensating gear connected with the said yoke shafts and )rovided with a s )herieal master orear wheel,

a beveled gear wheel provided with a spherical gear wheel in mesh with the said master gear wheel, a motor driven beveled gear wheel in mesh with the said lirst-named beveled gear wheel, a bracket in which the said beveled gear wheels are `iournalcd, links eonnecting the said bracket with the said yoke, segmental gear wheels connecting the said bracket with the said yoke, and a steering mechanism connected with one of the said angular arms,I

7. ln a front drive for motor driven vehicles, a front. axle provided with pivoted stub axles having angular arms, front wheels jonrnaled on the said stub axles, asteering mechanism connected with one of the said angula arms, a yoke, links connecting the ends of the yoke with the said angular arms, a driving gear mounted partly on the said yoke and partly on the said angular arms and connected with the said front wheels to drive the latter. a motor driven gear connected at the yoke with the said driving gear, the said motor driven gear including a motor shaft, a sleeve having a universal joint connection with the Said motor shaft, a sleeve shaft mounted to turn with and to slide in the' said shaft, and a gear wheel shaft having a universal connection with the said sleeve shaft.

MARTN KIMBLE. 

